Rugby: Auckland Grammar moving on up

Rosmini's Connor Leather makes a grassing tackle on Rangitoto's Caleb Foster. Leather's boot was decisive in the 20-18 victory. Photo / Do Yeong-Kim

Auckland Grammar's resurgence continues after they reclaimed the Cooper-Greenbank Cup with a 17-13 home victory over King's.

In the 204th staging of this Auckland 1A traditional, a crowd of around 8000 packed the vantage points around Auckland Grammar's top field to see the home pack gradually seize the initiative in a solid second spell and lift themselves into the top four placings after six rounds.

After rousing school hakas, Auckland Grammar made the early play and second five Matt Timoko would have scored but for a forward pass.

King's took a 10-3 lead after a tremendous solo try, not his first of the season, by rangy lock Iliesa 'Junior' Ratuva, who ran 55m after receiving a nice offload. King's smaller but mobile pack was causing problems for their Auckland Grammar counterparts. However, King's did not take all their chances and the Auckland Grammar scrum was ascendant.
Tighthead prop Saula Mau, adjudged player of the day, was solid at the set-piece and scored their first try off a lineout drive.

A 57th minute intercept try by Auckland Grammar left wing Heremaia Murray, who ran 75m, returned the lead to the home side, and they hung on as their forwards took the direct route up the middle.

Elsewhere in the 1A, De La Salle took advantage of King's' slip-up to go to the top of the standings with a deserved 10-6 home win over Sacred Heart for the Hibernian Shield. Sacred Heart's vaunted scrum was nullified as key prop Fatongia Paea had to pack down at No 8 due to injuries.

MAGS recorded their first win of the competition, defeating Liston 38-3, while Kelston BHS dispatched Tamaki 46-8. St Kentigern accounted for Dilworth 35-14.

The Aorere v St Peter's clash was abandoned in the second half by referee Alexander Corna due to a fight and is under investigation by the Auckland Rugby Union and College Sport.

In the North Harbour 1A, a late Connor Leather penalty goal, among a decisive 10 points he kicked, saw Rosmini edge Rangitoto 20-18 to maintain third position. Rangitoto did score three tries - to second five Caleb Foster, halfback Yasushi Kasuta and wing Chicayne Pryor - while Rosmini crossed for two early tries to No 8 Tamarau McGahan and second five Tom Barham from an intercept.

Hastings BHS and Hamilton BHS are proving to be the top dogs in the Super 8, with both recording convincing victories on the weekend.

Hamilton BHS cleaned out Palmerston North BHS 76-7 and will now reprise their Chiefs Cup final battle with Rotorua BHS, who beat Gisborne BHS 38-15, in Saturday's televised fixture.

Hastings won 38-3 at Napier BHS, with Kini Naholo crossing for a double, taking his tally to 30 in 11 games this season. Tauranga BC won their first match, a tight 15-14 result over New Plymouth BHS.

In the Central North Island competition, St Peter's School of Cambridge lead the log after a tight 21-19 victory over Feilding HS.

The upset result in the UC Championship saw St Andrew's, also known as STAC, draw 25-all with Christchurch BHS. This follows STAC's 23-10 midweek defeat by Timaru BHS.

North Harbour 1A
Westlake BHS 36 Orewa 0
Birkenhead 25 v Takapuna Grammar 24
Massey HS 17 Whangarei BHS 10
Rosmini 20 Rangitoto 18

Points: Westlake BHS 39, Rangitoto 35, Rosmini 29, Takapuna Grammar 20, Massey 15, Birkenhead 8, Whangarei BHS 7, Orewa 4

Auckland 1A
De La Salle 10 Sacred Heart 6
St Kentigern 35 Dilworth 14
Kelston BHS 46 Tamaki 8
MAGS 38 Liston 3
Aorere v St Peter's abandoned
Auckland Grammar 17 (Saula Mau, Heremaia Murray tries; Tom Strachan 2 con, pen) King's 13 (Iliesa Ratuva try; Zarn Sullivan con, 2 pen) HT: 10-3 King's

Points: De La Salle 22, King's 21, St Kentigern 20, Auckland Grammar 19, Sacred Heart 18, Dilworth 17, St Peter's 16, Kelston BHS 9, Aorere 8, MAGS 6, Liston 1, Tamaki 0

Auckland 1B
Tangaroa 36 Avondale 14
Botany Downs 22 Mt Roskill Grammar 20
Macleans 21 Otahuhu 17
St Paul's 22 Howick 20
Edgewater 10 Papatoetoe 8
Onehunga 11 Waitakere 9
Pakuranga 39 Mangere 21
One Tree Hill 37 Southern Cross 21

Counties Manukau/Waikato
Manurewa HS 45 James Cook HS 12
Pukekohe HS 18 Rosehill 10
St John's (Hamilton) 37 Cambridge HS 6
Te Awamutu 40 Alfriston 15

Points: St John's 13, Manurewa HS, Te Awamutu 12, Cambridge HS 10, Pukekohe HS 9, James Cook HS 5, Alfriston 1, Rosehill 0

Super 8
Hastings BHS 38 Napier BHS 3
Hamilton BHS 76 Palmerston North BHS 7
Tauranga BC 15 New Plymouth BHS 14
Rotorua BHS 38 Gisborne BHS 15

Points: Hastings BHS, Hamilton BHS 10, Tauranga BC 6, Rotorua BHS, Napier BHS 5, Palmerston North BHS 4, New Plymouth BHS 1, Gisborne BHS 0

Central North Island
Wesley 27 Lindisfarne 0
St Paul's Collegiate 44 Francis Douglas Memorial 26
St. Peter's (Cambridge) 21 Feilding HS 19
Te Aute 28 St John's (Hastings) 15

Points: St Peter's 20, Wesley 15, St Paul's Collegiate 12, Francis Douglas Memorial 11, Wanganui Collegiate 8, Te Aute 7, Feilding HS 6, Lindisfarne, Rathkeale 5, St John's 1

Wellington
St Pat's (Silverstream) 85 Wairarapa 0
Wellington 23 Rongotai 14
Kapiti 36 Porirua 33
Tawa 46 Hutt Valley HS 12
Scots 48 St Pat's (Town) 34

UC Championship
Timaru BHS 66 Burnside HS 5
Shirley BHS 17 Lincoln Combined 15
STAC 25 Christchurch BHS 25
Nelson 64 St Bede's 17
Marlborough BC 27 Rangiora HS 14
Christ's 39 Mid Canterbury Combined 17
(Midweek)
Timaru BHS 23 STAC 10

Otago
John McGlashan 65 Taieri 0
Waitaki 20 Mt Aspiring 0
Otago Second XV 57 St Kevin's 17
South Otago HS 75 Kavanagh 19

Traditionals
Otago BHS 28 Christ's 9
Christchurch BHS 26 Wellington 22